Innovative Transit Technology Devices, Applications,or Solutions Focused on Safety, Mobility, or Energy and Sustainability

IFOS will develop a hybrid fiber optic sensing system focused on transit rail systems. It will combine (1) Brillouin Optical Time Domain Analysis provide a larger reach for strain and temperature measurement, and (2) broadband FBG sensing technology to provide calibration and extra sensing capabilities in hotspots as well as verify the strain and temperature discrimination in the Brillouin measurement. The broadband nature will enable measurement of low frequency strains and forces as indicators of track buckling and the high frequency measurements will enable acoustic emission detection as a damage indicator. In addition the system will include signal processing software to extract the component of track rail vibrations indicating precise speed and loading as well as have the potential to save lives by providing indicators of trespassing or obstructions on the track.